DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2014.v02i12.001

Pages: 849-853

Ramadan is the holy month of the Muslims where they are required to fast from dawn to sunset, with liberal access to food and fluid in the evening. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of Ramadan fasting on glucose and lipid profiles among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our study population was 58 adult diabetic patients (38females, 20males) of a mean age of 53.8±14 years. Three samples of blood were taken at three intervals (before, during and after Ramadan).the plasma glucose and lipids were measured by spectrophytometeric methods. There was an increase in the glucose level during Ramadan compared to pre Ramadan value(170 ± 44 mg/dl versus208 ± 43 mg/).after Ramadan there was a decrease of blood glucose level(165 ± 23 mg/dl).the triglyceride concentrations in pre, during and after Ramadan respectively were(152 ± 23 mg/dl, 182 ± 31 mg/dl, 162 ± 19 mg/dl). The total cholesterol concentrations in pre, during and after Ramadan respectively were (184 ± 29 mg/dl, 224 ± 35 mg/dl, 193 ± 19 mg/dl). The HDL cholesterol concentrations in pre, during and after Ramadan respectively were (44 ± 9 mg/dl, 62 ± 11 mg/dl, 50 ± 7 mg/dl). The LDL cholesterol concentrations showed in pre, during and after Ramadan respectively were (143 ± 25 mg/dl, 163 ± 19 mg/dl and 50 ± 7 mg/dl).there were no significant differences in all parameters measured in this study. Our study showed slight increase in the concentration of glucose ,triglyceride and cholesterol during Ramadan fasting but with a return to the pre fasting levels after the end of Ramadan.